Western Smooth Boxfish

Description

Rounded spine-less body with numerous dark blotches on the back. Females yellowish white, pale ventrally, with large evenly spaced dark spots mainly on upper sides. Males pale blue with yellowish shading on lower sides. Dorsal fin 10; Anal fin 9-10; Pectoral fin 12; Caudal fin 11. Dorsal profile straight from snout to dorsal ridge; dorsal and lateral sides with nearly black spots. Two series of bony plates encircling caudal peduncle, anterior ring incomplete laterally, posterior ring continuous, plates covered with rough tubercles.

Distribution

Eastern Indian Ocean: southern Australia, from Western Australia and South Australia.

Habitat

The Western Smooth Boxfish inhabits offshore reefs, seagrass areas and trawl grounds, in depths of 2 to 100 m. It feeds on invertebrates. The sexes are separate and fertilization is external. The eggs and larvae are pelagic.

Poison

Although the flesh is not poisonous, a mucous toxin, ostracitoxin, is present in boxfishes and some species can secrete the poison under stress. The toxin kills other fish, and eventually the boxfish themselves if exposed to it. As the precise location of this toxin in all species is not fully understood, boxfish should be considered potentially toxic to humans and their consumption as food should be avoided.